LOS ANGELES, February 28, 2006 - Courteney Cox has agreed to play the lead role in the FX drama pilot "Dirt," her first
major television role since the hit series Friends, announced Nick Grad, FX's Executive Vice President of Original Programming.

In Dirt, Cox will play "Lucy Spiller," the editor-in-chief of two of the country's most widely read tabloid magazines, who controls the fates of the celebrities lining the pages.

Dirt revolves around the dynamic Spiller; a schizophrenic paparazzo uncovering the dirt people love to read; and a struggling actor trying to make a name for himself.

"From the start, as an executive producer on Dirt, Courteney has shown tremendous passion for this project," said Grad. "We are absolutely thrilled that Courteney has chosen Dirt for her return to series television."

Dirt was created by Matthew Carnahan, who wrote the pilot episode and will serve as director. David Arquette, Cox, and Carnahan are Executive Producers, and FX, Touchstone Television and Coquette will co-produce the project. Production of the pilot begins in March and will take place in Los Angeles.

Cox recently finished production on Sony/Revolution's Zoom in which she stars opposite Tim Allen. The film is due for release August 2006. She is best known for her critically acclaimed performance as "Monica Geller" on the hit series Friends, which won a 2002 Emmy� Award for Best Comedy. She moved to Los Angeles in 1985 and grabbed her first big break when she was cast in Family Ties as Michael J. Fox's girlfriend, "Lauren Miller."

Her standout performance as "Gail Weathers" in Wes Craven's horror/comedy film Scream in 1996 led to a continued role in the two follow-up films. She starred opposite such talent as Neve Campbell, Rose McGowan, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Kennedy and David Arquette.

Carnahan has written numerous plays, television episodes (Fastlane, The Fugitive), and has written and directed independent film (Black Circle Boys, Rudyland). He is also a novelist, and his latest book, Serpent Girl, received wide critical praise.

In 2004 Cox and husband David Arquette formed their own production company, Coquette. As part of Coquette, their first project was an interior design show for cable's WE (Women's Entertainment) Network called Mix it Up. Cox served as a creator and producer of the show, which profiled couples and roommates whose styles are at odds. Coquette's comedy Daisy Does America can currently be seen on TBS. In addition, Coquette has just wrapped their first feature project, a political horror thriller written and directed by David Arquette and starring Lukas Haas, Jamie King and Jason Mewes.

Touchstone Television has established itself as one of the television industry's leading providers of quality entertainment by developing and producing a diverse slate of popular, critically acclaimed and award-winning programming for broadcast and cable. The 2005-06 season became the most prolific in the studio's 20-year history with 20 new and returning projects receiving series orders including the Emmy� award-winning drama Lost, Best Comedy Golden Globe� winner Desperate Housewives, and the critical and consumer phenomenon Grey's Anatomy.

Dirt is only the ninth drama series pilot shot by FX. The network recently began production on another drama pilot Lowlife, starring Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver. Of the seven drama pilots previously produced by FX, five were ordered to series: Emmy� and Golden Globe� award winners The Shield and Nip/Tuck, Emmy� and Golden Globe� nominated Rescue Me, the critically acclaimed Over There, and Thief, which stars Andre Braugher and premieres on March 28th.

FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable network from Fox. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in more than 88 million homes. The diverse schedule includes a growing roster of distinctive original series and movies, an established film library with box-office hits from 20th Century Fox and other major studios, an impressive roster of acquired hit series, and marquee sports such as NASCAR.